this is my first post here, but i've been lurking for quite awhile.
yesterday, i was fired from my job after only working 6 hours. i have been an rn for 2 years and had to leave my med-surge job because i have scoliosis and chronic back pain from 2 bulging disks and was unable to work 12 hour shifts or do heavy lifting. i got a job that i really wanted in a clinic and was very upfront with them about my back problems before being hired.i explained that i had chronic back pain and that i used a tens unit, saw a chiropractor and took pain medication when not at work, and that i would be able to perform my job functions without difficulty. i was hired and went in for my first day and all was going well. later in the day, i explained to the doctor that i had been seeing the chirpractor weekly and asked if it would be possible for me to continue to do this. he told me that it wouldn't be a problem because no patients were seen one afternoon during the week and i could leave at 4:30 or 4:45 instead of 5:00 to make a 5:00 appt, which is the last appt time available at the office. a couple of hours later, i was called in to the office with both doctors and was confronted about why i hadn't told them about it sooner. i explained that i had been very honest with them about my back problems and that i was undergoing treatment, and had been told that i would be given comp time during the week for weekends that i had to go in. he them told me that comp time could only be taken on the weeks that the weekend was worked, and he felt that i had been dishonest in my interview. i think that i was completely honest and i was not required by law to disclose my disability during the hiring process. i offered to work something out with them, including not taking a lunch on the day that i had to leave early or coming in early to catch up on paperwork that i would not have been able to catch up on when i had to leave early. i was then told that if they had known about this before they would not have hired me because it didn't work with the "model" they had in mind and would be unfair to the other nurses, therefore i was being let go. i was not given the option to discuss any alternatives with them. i would think that a clinic that required patients to come in frequently during regular working hours would be more understanding about an employee who needed a few minutes off a week but apparently i was wrong. i am devastated because i really wanted this job and really liked it the few hours that i was there. i would just like honest opinions on whether or not i was making unreasonable requests and if i was treated fairly. i have done some research and i believe they are in violation of the ada and am considering consulting an attorney. if anyone actually made it through this whole post, i appreciate and i welcome all of your opinions or advice!!!
p.s.-my first day working there was the first day in months that i didn't have back pain, and i would have had no problems in performing my job functions, and i turned down 2 other offers with better pay in order to get this job, so i'm having a very difficult time dealing with this.
I just wanted to clarify a few things from my first post...I was interviewed by the doctors that ended up firing me so they were well aware of my issues before I was hired. I probably should have told them in my interview how often I was seeing the chiropractor, but I didn't really think it was necessary because once a week is the max that I go, sometimes its less, and I had every intenetion of working out something if it wasn't going to be possible for me to leave early, but I wasn't given that opportunity. But, like I said, I don't think that this would be a very supportive work environment so it was probably for the best anyway. It was just a big shock for me because I've had so much adversity that I've had to overcome in the last few months, along with trying to deal with my back pain, which just started in September. I know that I am a good nurse and I love being a nurse, so I know that there will be a better job out there for me. I have decided that it is in God's hands and all of this has renewed my faith in God, which is a good thing for me.I know that a lot of people have overcome a lot worse things, so I know that I will get through this. And again, thank you all so much for your support and advice!
i have been an rn for 2 years and had to leave my med-surge job because i have scoliosis and chronic back pain from 2 bulging disks and was unable to work 12 hour shifts or do heavy lifting. i got a job that i really wanted in a clinic and was very upfront with them about my back problems before being hired.i explained that i had chronic back pain and that i used a tens unit, saw a chiropractor and took pain medication when not at work, and that i would be able to perform my job functions without difficulty. i was hired and went in for my first day and all was going well. later in the day, i explained to the doctor that i had been seeing the chirpractor weekly and asked if it would be possible for me to continue to do this. he told me that it wouldn't be a problem because no patients were seen one afternoon during the week and i could leave at 4:30 or 4:45 instead of 5:00 to make a 5:00 appt, which is the last appt time available at the office. a couple of hours later, i was called in to the office with both doctors and was confronted about why i hadn't told them about it sooner. i explained that i had been very honest with them about my back problems and that i was undergoing treatment, and had been told that i would be given comp time during the week for weekends that i had to go in. he them told me that comp time could only be taken on the weeks that the weekend was worked, and he felt that i had been dishonest in my interview. i think that i was completely honest and i was not required by law to disclose my disability during the hiring process. i offered to work something out with them, including not taking a lunch on the day that i had to leave early or coming in early to catch up on paperwork that i would not have been able to catch up on when i had to leave early. i was then told that if they had known about this before they would not have hired me because it didn't work with the "model" they had in mind and would be unfair to the other nurses, therefore i was being let go. i was not given the option to discuss any alternatives with them. i would think that a clinic that required patients to come in frequently during regular working hours would be more understanding about an employee who needed a few minutes off a week but apparently i was wrong. i am devastated because i really wanted this job and really liked it the few hours that i was there. i would just like honest opinions on whether or not i was making unreasonable requests and if i was treated fairly. i have done some research and i believe they are in violation of the ada and am considering consulting an attorney. if anyone actually made it through this whole post, i appreciate and i welcome all of your opinions or advice!!!
Kirsti1181
16 Posts
I just wanted to clarify a few things from my first post...I was interviewed by the doctors that ended up firing me so they were well aware of my issues before I was hired. I probably should have told them in my interview how often I was seeing the chiropractor, but I didn't really think it was necessary because once a week is the max that I go, sometimes its less, and I had every intenetion of working out something if it wasn't going to be possible for me to leave early, but I wasn't given that opportunity. But, like I said, I don't think that this would be a very supportive work environment so it was probably for the best anyway. It was just a big shock for me because I've had so much adversity that I've had to overcome in the last few months, along with trying to deal with my back pain, which just started in September. I know that I am a good nurse and I love being a nurse, so I know that there will be a better job out there for me. I have decided that it is in God's hands and all of this has renewed my faith in God, which is a good thing for me.I know that a lot of people have overcome a lot worse things, so I know that I will get through this. And again, thank you all so much for your support and advice!